Scars
by Haya-dono
Summary: After enduring a week of her unusual behavior and denial of intimacy, Muneshige Tachibana decides to confront his wife only to find a side of her he didn't knew.


_A.N.: First of all, this is a gift for user __**infy.**_

_Second, explanations of the Japanese terms used here._

_**Onsen**__ is a Japanese bathhouse. People can go take baths with other people. They can be mixed or with separations for women and men._

_**Kosode**__ are basically smaller, __**kimono**__ (though they were the precursor of the modern __**kimono).**__ They have shorter sleeves and can be used as undergarments, as is the case in the story. Their length varies, but the sleeves are short. They can be worn by women or men. The fabric of the __**kosode**__ is wrapped around the body and then held together by a sash called __**obi.**_

_**Yukata**__ are casual __**kimono**__ worn in summer, made of cotton. Similar as __**kimonos**__ the person doesn't wear any Occidental underwear when dressing in one. As __**kosode,**__ they wrap around the body and use the __**obi**__ sash to hold it. They are traditionally seen in anime, especially in episodes that feature summer festivals._

_With that said, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy it._

* * *

It was the third time that week, when Muneshige had been left alone, as his wife walked out of the bedroom. Though the most accurate words would be 'stormed out', as she suddenly got angry at him and left him all by himself without explanation. He had to admit, he was going to ask her for some intimacy that week, hoping that third time was the charm. Instead, Ginchiyo crushed his hopes as she left that door.

He pondered about what he had done wrong. As far as he could tell, he had asked her in the same way he had before. It usually earned him a passionate night with his wife. However, suddenly, she seemed not interested and unusually angry this time. She had previously been "tired", "not in the mood", "busy training". He wanted to experiment and be a little risky, doing it in the bathroom, as he wanted to experience the thrill of being caught, but he was willing to push that idea until later as long as they could have some private fun. But Ginchiyo would have none of it.

He spent several minutes thinking about it. As far as he could tell, he had done nothing wrong. The problem seemed to be her. It was too much of a coincidence, and what he might let slide the first time, he couldn't just ignore it on the third time. Something was bothering Ginchiyo. He thought about reaching for her, but immediately desisted. As much as he wanted to talk about it, he knew his wife would be less than willing to do so. It would have to wait until the next day.

The next day, he made sure everything went according her wishes. No jokes, no teasing, nothing out of place. He even bit his tongue every time he wanted to rile her up. He behaved as best as he could, trying to ensure her mood was acceptable when he decided to confront her. Nighttime, his gut told him it was the best shot he had, so all day long he had to fight that urge of making her angry. He hoped it worked it, or his sacrifice would be all for naught.

They were in their room, she was getting ready for bed, sitting in the bed taking off her armor and changing into the _kosode_ she used to sleep with. Since he had kept shut about sex, she seemed to accept the idea of sharing the room as a married couple. That didn't mean he was off the hook, though, he had to tread carefully. He had gotten so far, she seemed in a decent mood to talk. This was his chance. He opened his mouth, ready to ask her if she-

"What are you trying to pull off, vagabond?" His sudden excellent, perfect behavior didn't go unnoticed by her. He almost felt naïve that she'd not immediately suspect of him. But he couldn't back off.

Putting on his most charming smile, he replied, "Absolutely nothing, my dear. I just sensed you've been tired these days and thought you'd need a break."

"You do not fool me," she said angrily as she got up quickly, she was going to storm off again. He couldn't let it happen, something was definitely wrong with her. She wasn't the kind of person to refuse such offer, even if she usually denied it. They had to talk, whether she wanted or not. He was going to find whatever that was bothering her.

"Ginchiyo, wait." He stood up in front of her. If she wanted to get out, she'd have to go past him. She tried shoving him off, but he didn't move an inch. She wasn't going out without a fight.

"Out of my way." She stepped aside, trying to go around him.

He stepped in front of her, going in the same direction as her. "Ginchiyo, you've been in a foul mood for the past days, fouler than your usual anyway. What is the matter?" he asked.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she snarled curtly, still trying to go past him, now stepping in the opposite direction.

"Easy, let's talk about it." He put his hands on her shoulders, trying to get a hold of her, maybe he could be able to make her sit in their bed.

"Don't touch me, vagabond!" She hollered as she brushed off his hands, stepping back. At least she was away from the door.

"What is the problem, my dear?"

"There is no problem," she snapped, closing her eyes in frustration, as she folded her arms across her chest. He knew what that meant.

Smiling even more charmingly, he asked her in his smoothest voice, "I think there is. Would you mind telling your husband?"

"Would you mind backing off? I have to leave the room," she ordered, impatiently.

"I do, actually. You've been acting strange for a while now, my dear," he said, still with his smooth voice, hoping it'd win her over.

"I am not, so now-"

"I am not done yet, Ginchiyo," he said, with a warm smile as he held her again, hands in her shoulders trying to look at her eyes. She resisted, but didn't move away. Instead, she turned away her face, unable to look at him in the eye. "Let us just talk. Five minutes, that's all I ask. After that, you can leave the room, train until you die, go get drunk or eat some wasabi. I won't stop you. I promise." He gave her his best smile.

"I am not," she said. Her tone was weaker, still not looking at him. However, she glanced at his face, saw his smile and tensed slightly.

"Let's make this deal, my dear. I will uphold my promise. Five minutes."

She didn't reply, however, she stopped resisting. He was able to guide her, slowly not trying to rush her, to their bed, where she sat on the edge, almost as if she wanted to leave as soon as possible. He sat next to her, close but not too much, folding his arms and looked at her.

"So, what is it?"

"It's nothing, Muneshi-"

He pressed his fingers in front of her lips. "We had a deal. Now, do tell." He encouraged with a big smile, as he moved his hand away from her face.

"It's something stupid, pay no attention to it."

"If it bothers you that much, of course I have to pay attention, my dear."

She let out a frustrated groan. She couldn't take when he was talking like that. Smooth-talking her into speaking. "It was something at that _onsen_ we visited."

He looked upwards, trying to recall. "_Onsen_, do you mean the one where we met…?"

"Gracia and Tadaoki… and Ina and her husband," was her reply. She wasn't looking at him.

His mind seemed to go back to that day, a week ago. Muneshige and Ginchiyo had been invited to go to an _onsen_ by Muneshige's friend, Tadaoki. There, they met accidentally with Ina and Nobuyuki Sanada. The _onsen_ wasn't of the mixed type, so they had to split. Whatever Ginchiyo and the other women said, he couldn't know, but, thinking more carefully about it, she did seem to be more on the edge and upset. The next day she refused any advances of her.

"So, did you have a fight?" he asked her, resting his hand on her shoulder. She didn't move to reject it, he almost smiled.

"Absolutely not," she replied quickly. "We did nothing of the sort. It's just I saw… Nevermind." She shook her head abruptly as she clenched her fists. She shoved off his hand and was on her way to standing up, when Muneshige held her hand.

"Five minutes, my dear," he reminded her. Ginchiyo froze at her words, and after some seconds of hesitation, she stayed still and sat down again. "So?"

Ginchiyo was quiet, her gaze lowered to see her hands, naked, she had taken off her gloves. She looked at the calluses she had in her palm, product of years of training and holding her sword.

"These hands are not the hands of a maiden," she whispered.

"Excuse me?" he said.

"Women are supposed to have delicate, smooth hands. Not ones full of cuts and callus, weather-beaten and…" Her voice trailed away.

"Ginchiyo…"

She stared at her hands, as she closed them into a fist. Scars could be seen in them, scars of all sizes. "Gracia is pretty. Her skin is so smooth; she looks like a porcelain doll. It's perfect, without any noticeable mark. Fair in all senses. Tadaoki must be a lucky man."

Muneshige looked at her and took her hand, holding it gently. "I think so, but that is-"

"Ina is also beautiful," she said in a louder voice, interrupting him. "You must have noticed it already. She has natural grace, the way she moves, and how she behaves."

He moved closer to her, trying to look at her in the eye. She turned her eyes away. "Ina is a warrior, just like you, my dear."

"We might be both warriors, but she is a lady in battle."

"You are a lady as we-"

"No, I'm not!" she spat. "Gracia is beautiful and flawless, not a single scar in her body! Nothing deforming her body! Nothing at all!" Her fists were shaking as she spoke.

He held her hand more tightly, squeezing it lightly, trying to console her. "But Ina is a warrior like you. You both have seen the battlefield, and you have scars to prove it. That doesn't make you or her any less beautiful."

"No, it's not. You are wrong!" she muttered bitterly, as she moved away her hand from his. She held herself with her arms. "You haven't seen Ina. She's not even as scared as me. And when she walks, you don't even notice them. She enchants you with her charm, so it doesn't matter. We're not the same, she's a woman." She swallowed hard before continuing, "I am not."

"That is not-"

"Yes, it is!" She turned to him and for the first time, she looked at him in the eye. Hurt, shame, her eyes were full of those emotions. "I am not a woman. I'm not beautiful! Why are you with someone like me? Shouldn't someone like you be with a woman like Gracia, someone like Ina?"

He shook his head. "Why wouldn't I be with you?"

She shoved her hands to his head, angrily and frustrated, as she exclaimed, "Look at my hands, you idiot! Do they look like the hands of a woman?! They don't!"

Muneshige looked at her hands, hardened by combat, maybe tainted by the blood that was spilled in the battlefield. Delicate fingers, some had bandages, proof of her battles, of her training. He took them with his own, and kissed them.

"What are you doing, vagabond?!" She yelled as she saw him kissing her fingers, where she had scars, her palms.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm kissing the hands of my beautiful wife," he said as he kissed her hand the way a knight would swear love to his beloved princess.

"I'm not beauti-"

"Yes, you are," he said, before pressing his lips on hers. Ginchiyo went silent, as he let go of her hands, as he cupped her face with his hands, giving her a chaste kiss. They rarely had anything like that, always too drawn into deeper, passionate kisses, but, this one was different. It wasn't a kiss full of desire, it was a kiss full of his love for his wife.

Ginchiyo pulled back. "You are doing this so that you get laid!"

"Is it bad for me to desire some intimacy with my lovely wife?" he said, with his best smile. She frowned, glaring at him. There it was, the face he always loved to see. The second one. "You are beautiful when you're angry."

"How is that supposed to make me feel better?!" she retorted, almost ready to punch him in the face and storm off the room.

"Because that means I don't take my eyes off you."

His answer left her speechless for some seconds. Then, she turned away from him, her cheeks faintly pinkish, still frowning. "Stop your ridiculous attempts. Find someone better and go with her."

"But why would I want to do that?" he said, as he took off her helmet, and threw it to the floor. He ran his fingers through her hair as he pulled closer to her ear. "You're all I want, my dear."

She closed her eyes, trying to ignore him. She was almost pushed him away. She didn't know why he was so fixated with her, she wasn't beautiful, she didn't deserve him. He deserved someone better.

She flinched when she felt him lower her _kosode_, exposing her shoulder. A long scar became visible, against her tan skin. She earned it in one of the fights against the Shimazu, something she never regretted. That scar was a medal of honor for her in the battlefield. But in bed, it was an ugly reminder of her hideousness. She covered her scar with her hand, as she turned away and muttered, "Don't look at it."

Muneshige took her hand and brushed it away. He traced the scar, about 9 centimeters product of a dangerously deep blow that might have taken her arm away, with his fingers. "This is proof of your courage," he said, as he pressed his lips against her skin, against her scar. She bit her tongue, as she felt that traitorous sound almost coming from her mouth.

He sucked lightly on the scar as his hand traveled down her back, a large gash had been there months ago, made in Byeokjegwan. The enemy had managed to injure her from behind before she could react. Despite the pain, she didn't stop. He massaged the remnants of that injury, as he licked and bit gently her shoulder.

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered as she tried her hardest not to make any other sound, hoping in vain that he would leave her alone if she didn't react to his touch.

"Because you are beautiful," he said as he left a trail of kisses and moved to her exposed breast. Above it was another mark, almost unnoticeable but there. She was terribly conscious of that one, tainting her proof of being a woman, tarnished in battle. One of Hideyoshi's campaigns. He took her breast with his mouth and gently sucked it. Ginchiyo almost let out a moan, but bit her tongue even harder. Sooner she'd start tasting blood, unless he stopped. As if it was the most delicate thing, Muneshige ran his tongue and fingers across her breast, pinching her nipple slightly, making her gasp. She tried resisting his touch, never giving up on that naïve idea she had. Not caring if Muneshige was showing her his adoration for her, including her body. She was hideous.

"You have the best breasts in Japan," he said, as he placed light kisses in her scar. His hand started rubbing her, groping it. They were the perfect size. She let out a muffled moan.

"That isn't very charming," she muttered in a dying voice, cries of pleasure trying to drown her words.

"I'm saying the truth," he said, cupping her breast with one hand. The other slid her other half of her _kosode_ down, both shoulders and her chest were now visible, exposed to him. Her scars were too.

She tried covering her chest with her arm, not wishing for him to see her deformed body. But Muneshige simply held her hand down and turned his attention to her neglected breast. She whimpered as she felt his tongue over her skin, feeling her. His free hand roamed her abdomen, slightly toned just as he liked it. Her skin was the same as the rest of her body, marked by scars. He felt several on her sides, some across her stomach, deadly blows that hadn't been able to take her away from him. "You are resilient, my dear," he said, as left her chest and kissed her navel.

"I'm a broken thing… I've failed as a woman and see how well I do as a man? I can't even defend myself in combat."

"That is not true, Ginchiyo," he placed more kisses over her stomach as he spoke

"Are you blind?! Look at me, I'm scarred!" she moved away from him and pointed at her uneven torso with her hands. Her hands gripped angrily at her skin. Everywhere she saw, scars. Marks that would never leave, that would always be there, haunting her. "I'm deformed, I'm hideous! I am not good as a woman. These things…" she looked in disgust at her body. "They are marks of honor, for men. I want to think of them as well, but they only reveal that I'm a woman trying to play a man. Look at you and look at me! You have less scars and I-"

"And you are the most beautiful person I've ever seen," he whispered as he press his fingers against her. He felt the rugged lines in her waist, her back, tracing them with the same love as he kissed her cheek. "Why do you say you are not?"

"I'm not beautiful, you idiot! We've gone through this just now."

"All I know is I have a stubborn woman as a wife, a stubborn, beautiful woman I'd never change," he whispered to her ear as his hands traveled from her waist to the obi know, untying it with expert swift moves leaving her naked to his eyes, and then to her legs, caressing gently her inner thighs. She shivered, she had almost forgotten in her anger how much her body reacted to his touch.

"Idiot," she moaned, as his hands rubbed against her legs, against her former wounds. He looked at her face, flushing red as she enjoyed, much to her chagrin, his actions. He looked at her, so beautiful, so enticing. This was the woman he loved.

He got up, earning some glance of Ginchiyo, almost worried he would leave her, after realizing what a waste of time she was, and-

She let out a moan, as Muneshige had moved and knelt down, pressing his cheek against her inner thigh, after parting her legs. "Your voice is the best melody I've ever heard." He bit slightly her skin, earning more cries of pleasure from her and moved down, his lips and hands feeling one of her toned legs, smooth to his touch. "This is like silk."

She groaned as she tried to hit him. "They are all uneven and rough…" She had to stop to breathe; he sucked on her flesh, "What are you talking about?" However, she couldn't suppress her excitement behind her words, as her husband massaged her leg, leaving trails of kisses and some bites.

"That is another thing I love from you," he said, as now he traveled upwards to her thighs, pinching her oversensitive skin, making her let out a moan. "Never one to back down, Ginchiyo." With one hand, he pushed her back, she moved back, and understanding, lay in their bed.

He climbed on the bed and laid his head against her womb. "I have never met someone with so much dedication to her family," he whispered, as he kissed her and rested his forehead on her, on her womb.

"I'm sorry," she said bitterly, as she clenched her fists, "I am nothing but a fai-"

"Nothing but the person I want to live with until I die," he said, kissing her body, not lifting his lips until several seconds had passed. "As long as you're with me, nothing else matters."

"Muneshige…" she whispered. She bit her lip, confused in all the feelings she was having: anger, sadness, hatred at herself, and the love for her husband and how she couldn't grasp why he was still with her, after letting him down. She had to breathe deeply, to find the right words, to ask him…

"Muneshige," she said again, the knot in her throat made it hard to speak. "I've never asked for this, and this is unusual but…"

"Anything for you."

"Hold me tightly."

He moved up, his face was in front of hers, one of his hands caressing her cheek lovingly, as he looked at her eyes. "Ginchiyo, my dear," he whispered as he found himself getting lost in her eyes. The eyes he loved so much, the eyes that revealed thousands of things about her, her real feelings, her thoughts, her very soul. "You have the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen."

He leaned against her, his body, still covered by that _yukata_ of his, pressing against her skin, as his lips collided with hers in a passionate kiss. He took over her mouth as he groaned, he loved her full lips, they were his second favorite thing, after her eyes. They had something that drove him mad, whenever they curved into a frown, whenever she opened her mouth to yell at him, whenever she parted her lips to moan. Just like she was now, enjoying the sensation of his hips grinding against hers, being able to sense his hardness through his clothes, his mouth and tongue completely controlling her even if she'd never admit how she yearned and adored submitting to him.

He bit her lip gently, they were so full, doing this was always enjoyable to him, and more when she let out sighs of pleasure in his mouth. He deepened the kiss as she moved her hands from the bed sheets to his hair, as she ran her fingers through his locks. He pressed his body against her, trying to feel her. The _yukata_ was bothering him, he had to take it off. Not daring to part from her lips, he untied his knot with some difficulty and took his clothes off, tossing them aside. His hot skin burned against hers, remembering how much he desired the person in front of him, the woman he loved. A passionate, needy kiss, that was all they could think off, feeling each other, not daring to speak.

They parted, they needed air. They panted for breath as their hands roamed across their bodies, needing to fulfill that desire of them, the desire of becoming one with each other. Ginchiyo moaned loudly as she felt Muneshige's hands tracing her body. Her heart ached for him, her body demanded his touch, his breath, him and her joining in the deepest of acts, when two souls become one.

"I can't… I need…" she panted, as her ragged breaths cut short the words she tried to convey. But she didn't need to say anything more. Muneshige took over her mouth again, as he entered her, finally becoming one.

She moaned as he thrusted in her, the two moving together rhythmically as they could feel each other to the deepest level. He covered her moans with his mouth, kissing her with the same passion as he took her. She was grinding her hips, her legs wrapped around him as she felt him, his breath, his hands, everything taking over her senses, driving her to ecstasy. He took in her aroma, thrusting harder, faster, his need for her overwhelming him. She wrapped her arms against him, scratching his back, as she dug in her nails. He groaned in pleasure, an action that always drove him mad.

She couldn't take it, his motions, his kiss, feeling desired by him, they were too much to her, filling her with passion, with need as she finally let herself lose to that deep desire she had for him, letting it take her completely. Simply enjoying herself as he thrusted frantically. She needed him more, and, without words, he complied, taking her mindlessly, engulfed by his passion and his lack of restraint. Rolling hips grinding together, hands feeling each other, kissing passionately as they ran out of breath, then breaking apart and gasping for breath as they fought the urges of screaming in pleasure. Something built up inside of them, growing stronger with every motion, every word, every cry, every touch.

He lost his vision, as he hid his face in her neck; she lost her voice, having died of all the moans she let out because of him. She knew, it was close, and as he increased his pace for the last moments of ecstasy, she reached her limit, letting out a hoarse scream, as she trembled from the wave of pleasure that extended across her body, her mind going blank engulfed by only pleasure, by him. He followed her next, groaning in the nape of her neck as he released himself into her, warm spreading through her body, breathing heavily for air as he enjoyed that heightened, maddening sensation he only felt with her.

They stayed together without moving, only heavy breathing could be heard. Ginchiyo let go of him, and Muneshige moved to her side.

"Liar," she whispered, still trying to catch her breath.

"What is it, my dear?" he asked, even breathless he still had that much strength to smoothly talk to her.

"You didn't do what I asked for." She didn't look at him in the eye.

He smiled, and with an air of ignorance, he said, "I don't know what you mean."

She frowned. "You only wanted to get la-" she said, until she felt being pulled into an embrace by Muneshige, who wrapped his arms around her, tightly. Her face was close to his, and her chest pressed against his. "What are you doing?!"

"I am following your orders, Ginchiyo." He gave her a smooth smile, which made her frown frustrated, as she had fallen in one of his games, making her angry by playing dumb.

She glared at him, as he burst out in a weak laugh. Then, Muneshige looked at her in the eye, and said, "You are the most beautiful woman in the world. And I am the luckiest man."

"But I'm," she started to say, when Muneshige pressed his lips against hers, shutting her up.

"I thought we had cleared up this by now, Ginchiyo. Your scars won't make you hideous or undesirable to me. They are proof of your bravery, of the value you place to family, of the stubbornness I really love of you," he whispered as he held her tightly.

"Do you really mean it?" she said, in an uncharacteristically weak tone. He smiled.

"Of course, my dear. No one would be able to take your place in my heart."

"You better not be lying, you vagabond," she said, giving him a soft smile.

"Now that is my favorite thing of yours, even better than your angry face," he said, making her frown in anger. He laughed and kissed her head, not letting go of the woman he loved.


End file.
